"stop crying about it. Let's understand and learn what went wrong, what we can do differently, and get back to the work.... There are very few challenges in life that you cannot work your way through"
These were the very words I used 1 week ago to one of my team in the office. We had put in a monster effort on delivery for a very complex deal, which was then cancelled for the unforeseeable future. My guy had a sulk (he'll deny it vigorously, of course), despite having already achieved his best ever week and was beginning to focus on the negative/loss rather than the great success he had just had. This is all too common, and only slows progress. Like most people, it's easy to focus more on the loss, than the win. Losses sting (and it's OK that they do), but it is HOW YOU REACT AND RESPOND to the knockdowns that determines the very top performers. What we focus on expands. We focus on building success, we see more opportunities to succeed. We get caught too much in the pain of failure in our initial plans (and the negative energy attached to this), we expect more failure... and we often end up failing more than we should. At the end of the day, there is ALWAYS another deal to be successful in.
Sometimes, you simply need to go through the pain to come out stronger. The secret (I am rapidly learning for myself and will continue to for the rest of my days) is to not define yourself or your story by that pain. Expect it and the probability increases that you will attract it (more on this in post 121., but will also write more specifically on this shortly, as I've learned much more the last few weeks) Beyond all else, we need to put in work and make changes in order to achieve a different outcome. We need to experience, learn, adjust, act (then repeat, and repeat again and again) in order to change an outcome. And so, for me, this next phase of work begins. Yes, it is an utter nightmare to start again after being set back so far. But I am where I am, and that is where I start. The way to do that is to roll it back to the beginning of the whole process, knowing more than I did before, and re-engineering my approach and expectations based on what I know TODAY. So here is my process, and will start this with answering the following 'Big questions'. These questions are hitting the reset button and are essential in building a fresh foundation that is strong so my house is built on concrete rather than sand. The key questions (and today's answers) are:
1. What is my BFG (Big F*cking Goal)?
To have successfully ran and completed, with excitement and passion, the 300Km Isles Ultra in September 2023!
With all good plans we start with the end in mind (to coin the famous quote of Stephen Covey). The change from my original goal is framing it (very deliberately) in the past to help visualise success. It also helps attach my unconscious mind to the successful outcome (giving it plenty of time to get comfortable with that BFG being already achieved, mentally, so that I already know that it is not just possible, but that it's certain). There is also an important caveat that I want to LOVE running this monster. To run with excitement and passion means I will have been free of injury, doubts and insecurities when having done so. It means adventure and freedom, pride and connection. I seek to eliminate the risk of running with pain, anxiety, trepidation, frustration, despondency and many other detrimental negative feelings (by focusing on attaching to the positive emotions I want this experience to represent - i.e. excitement & passion on every step of the challenge).
2. Why is this important to me (really)?
I've talked about this before and the fundamental reasons help build on the goal above and are the same they have been since the start.
This challenge represents my 'why' and the intentions that are most important behind everything I am doing
To live more of my full potential, going further than I have ever gone before;
To show those I love and care about most in this world that, no matter the hand you are dealt, you can accomplish more than you ever thought possible, with the right tenacity, work and approach;
To honour and support those looking to overcome their own Big Scary Challenges in their world (Health, mental wellbeing, confidence, career, relationships, etc);
To empower and inspire those seeking a voice and a roadmap towards their own success and BFG's;
And to give someone else the sense that even when the odds are against you at the outset, that there is always a way forward to do something extraordinary and live out a dream they wish to see brought to life.
These feel right to me, and they really do matter to who I am as a person. The bigger-than-myself target is better formed than last time, and holds a deeper meaning for me now.
3. What key markers along the way do I need to aim for in order to be on-track?
Starting with plotting the key stepping-stone goals along the way in reverse order, makes this an easier approach to map this out. As an example, for my goal the key stepping stone objectives looks like this...
Phase 4 - Taper & Challenge - Key Outcomes (4 weeks)
**End September 2023 - Injury Free Run 300km (6 days of 50K) | Weight 90kg**
Mid September 2023 - Full physical recovery, pain free | Weight 90Kg
Phase 3 - Peak Volume - Key outcomes (2 months)
Aug 2023 - Injury Free peak training week 40|30|20|10|10|10km (6 days back to back) | Weight 91Kg
July 2023 - 20|10|5|5|5|5 (6 Days Back to Back) | Weight 92Kg
Phase 2 - Trail Base & Lactate Threshold Building - Key Outcomes (6 Months)
May/June 2023 - Injury Free Run 100km Ultra sub 24hrs | Weight 92Kg
April/May 2023 - Injury Free Run 50km Ultra | Weight 94Kg
Mar/April 2023 - Injury Free Run 35km Long Run | Weight 96Kg
Feb 2023 - Injury Free Run 25km Long Run | Weight 98Kg
Jan 2023 - Injury Free Run 15km Long Run | Weight 100Kg
Phase 1 - Rehab/Prehab/Conditioning - Key Outcomes (4 months) Dec 2022 - Pain Free 10km Treadmill Run | Weight 102kg
Nov 2022 - Pain Free 5km Treadmill Run | Weight 103kg
Oct 2022 - Pain Free 3km Treadmill Run | Weight 104kg
Sept 2022 - 5x 3 min VO2 Max/Zone 5 Spin Bike Hill Climbs | Weight 105Kg There are key intentions here
Pain and Injury free training within the next 6 weeks
Sensible progression levels to build strength and time on feet incrementally
Ongoing reduction in body mass to help alleviate injury risk
Let's be clear, that these are the objectives/intentions. I know all too well that shit happens and life throws a curveball or three. These may move or change based on any given Phase between 1-3. But at this point in time this is what good looks like from where I am starting. This brings me onto my final big question...
4. What do I need to mitigate/overcome to meet these markers and ensure success in my ultimate goal?
This is about honesty with myself. It's about areas that I need to pay special attention to, deliberately work on, and strengthen. It's the question of - What could derail or get in the way of my success based on what I've learnt, and know right now about myself? My answers...
Physical Challenges to work on for this goal -
Injury to Achilles Tendinopathy/Heel Bursitis and ankle instability.
Back/Hip mobility,
strength, mobility, flexibility & conditioning of weaker leg (imbalance)
Weight-loss
Form
Mental challenges to work on for this goal -
Letting go of unconscious self-sabotage thinking patterns attached to the goal
Reducing my impulsiveness, impatience and the tendencies to push to hard too quickly
Taking better care of my Energy & Recovery
Building greater consistency in progressive effort over a long period of time
Balancing & Managing Work/Life stress and time/availability
Releasing attachment to the WAY it should look/go in order to be successful (thus allowing success to show up in its own way, based upon my efforts)
All of the above have a solution. I am already taking actions to work on positively overcoming these. Some are HIGHLY complex, but will improve many aspects in my life when resolved (with a few that are already showing results based on the work already done.)
What's interesting is that I have a very high level of confidence to physically and mentally complete the 300km, as long as I am free from injury. Get that right and the BFG becomes reality. All of the above 4 questions and answers form the foundations to build my plan on a week by week basis. Like any journey, you need to
know where you are going (ultimate destination),
Understand why you want to take that journey in the first place (and if it matters that you do so)
understand key waypoints on the route you want to take,
know what obstacles could crop up (and how you might avoid/lessen the impact of them)
From there you can pick your specific route and make adjustments on the way to each waypoint (or to even continue the journey any further in the first place). Simple, right? LOL.
This work now allows me to simply turn the above 4 sets of answers upside down and start from where I stand right now... I'm chuckling at the image of the fact you may well be scrolling up to get a sense of what the order of actions need to be :-).... But I'll save you a job:
Q4 & Q3 answers will be done simultaneously. Priority-wise:
Rehab from Injury is part of my Phase 1 rehab/prehab/conditioning and is the most important area of work right now
My Mindset and weight-loss adjustments are tied in to it and will be accelerated as a result of #1, plus the additional work I've been doing/am doing/will do
#1 and #2 combine to help execute the listed Sept/Oct/Nov/Dec training markers to work to as a measure of progress and to build the platform to hit the trails for Phase 2 training.
I'm going to take this in Month based training plans. That'll let me adapt based on results and shifts more flexibly. To then add each piece together over the next 12 months to create a whole greater than the sum of its parts. The work is significant. The next three months are critical to build progress with the injury, and I'll share my first month plan for September in detail in my next post. Let's get this party started (again). Thanks for reading.
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